Refrigerator.



J. L. KEEL.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION man MM- 1. 1915.

Patenmam. 26,1916.

orricn.

JOHN L. KEEL, ornosvvnLL, new MEXICO.

REFRIGERATOR.

i ,aioavqa To all whom itmag concern: 1 g

Be it known that I, JOHN L. K EL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roswell, in the county of Ghaves and State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in refrigerators, and has for its primary object to provide means for thoroughly ventilating the interior of the refrigerator and maintaining the same at a minimum temperature in winter without the use of ice or other refrigerating mediums.

The invention has for its particular object to provide a refrigerator having the usual door in its front wall, and means provided in said door for permitting the free circulation of air through the interior of the refrigerator, such communicating means between the interior of the refrigerator and the atmosphere being closed during the summer when ice is used, to prevent the escape of the cold air.

It is an additional object of my inventlon to provide a refrigerator of the above character which is exceedingly simple in its construction, may be easily maintained in a thoroughly sanitary condition, andcan be produced at comparatively small manufacturing cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section through the refrigerator door. 7

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates the body of the refrigerator, which is of any approved form or construction, the walls thereof being provided with any preferred insulating means. The refrigerator is of course provided with the usual ice compartment indicated at 2, and the provision compartment 3. This latter compartment is closed by means of a hingedly mounted door 4.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the door at is provided with a central Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 1, 1915.

ranged, the inner end of of a suitable lid or open end of the sleeve 6 is also closed by a Patented Dec. 26, 1916. SerialNo. 11,359.

circular opening 5. therethrough in which a cylindrical metal sleeve or tube 6 is arprovided with an outwardly projecting annular flange 7 for engagement against the inner face of the door around the opening 5therein. The outer end of the metalsleeve is formed with an outturned annular bead 8, for a end thereof, a partition 9 of wire gauze or other reticulated material is arranged, and suitably secured to the wall of said sleeve. This perforate partition wall effectually excludes foreign matter or insects from the interior of the refrigerator, but admits of the free entrance of air thereto. Thus, during the winter months, when the atmospheric temperature is suiliciently low to obviate the necessity of providing an artificial refrigerating medium, cold air may freely enter the provision compartment through the sleeve 6 so that the temperature thereof will be at all times substantially the same as the atmospheric temperature whereby the contents of said compartment are preserved against spoiling.

During the summer months, the compartment 2 is of course kept supplied with ice, and this compartment is closed by means cover 10. The outer removable cap 11 which is provided with an annular flange for frictional engagement with the bead 8 on the outer end of said sleeve. The cold air is thus retained in the provision compartment of the refrigerator.

In the provision chamber suitable perforated shelves 12 are arranged to support the foodstufl s. These shelves are preferably formed of aluminum and the walls of the provision compartment 3 are preferably lined with the same material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of my improved refrigerator will be clearly and fully understood. The invention, while exceedingly simple in its construction, is nevertheless highly convenient, serviceable and practical in use, as it admits of theproper preservation of large quantities of foodstuffs during the winter months without the necessity of using a refrigerating medium. It is obvious that the air passage afiorded by the provision said sleeve being purpose to be later referred to. Wlthin the sleeve-6 and adjacent the outer of the sleeve 6 in the door of the refrigerator may be of any desired diameter in accordance with the size and capacity of the refrigerator.

The invention is also susceptible of considerable modification in the form, proportion and arrangement of the several structural features thereof, and I therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, claim is:

In a ventilating device for refrigerators, the combination with a refrigerator having a provision compartment and a hinged door therefor provided with a central opening; of a metal sleeve extending through said what I Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). 0.

opening and permanently fixed therein, said sleeve being provided upon its outer end with an outturned bead engaging the face J. L. KEEL.

Witnesses CLAUDE HoBBs, ALBERT HANNY.

Commissioner of Eatents, 

